Taking the First Step
by Danko Kaji
Summary: Yuna and Baralai are two people in love, who are trying to adjust to a daily life where ghosts no longer guide their emotions and deepest desires. Rated for suggestive themes. Written for the Final Fantasy Kissing Battle 2012 and dedicated to volta arovet. Prompt: "this isn't anything like Shuyin or Lenne"


_(A/N): I'm in the Valentine's Day mood right now. Happy Valentine's Week! :D Written for the Final Fantasy Kiss Battle 2012. Prompt: Baralai/Yuna, "this isn't anything like Shuyin or Lenne"_

___Cross-posted on AO3. Originally published 2012-03-04._

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"You know, you've never told me what your favorite was," Yuna says, musing aloud as she pours a bag of cherries into the glass bowl.

"I like a lot of fruit, but if I had to choose one..." Baralai pauses in mid-sentence, distracted by the way her summer dress flutters to the sensual twist of her hips when she pivots to stand in front of the sink, the smooth motion belonging only to a dancer, naked arms outstretched to rinse the fruit – and Baralai breathes, snapping out of it. "Pomegranate."

"Really?"

"They are expensive, however, since Bevelle imports them from Besaid."

"Hm." Turning off the faucet, Yuna swerves to place the bowl on the counter between them, and Baralai has to force his eyes to remain on her face, lest he be crude and disrespectful, despite the fact he has the right to. "My favorite has to be–."

"Pineapple. I know. You've told me." Baralai smiles at her pleasant surprise, plucking a cherry from the hill of many. Yuna turns away, bashful, standing in silence before she gathers the courage to move. She hopes, and tries not to, because hope has the tendency to change into disappointment all too easily, but she hopes that when he said those words, he meant them.

"You listen to what I say?"

Baralai takes her hand once she gravitates to his side and tells her what she wants to hear: the truth. "Of course, I do. Why? Is that strange?" Yuna steps closer, relaxing at the touch of his thumb stroking her knuckles. His soft gaze channels love to melt her insecurities away.

"No, but..." She laughs a little to conceal her embarrassment, a subconscious habit she picked up courtesy of the man beside her. "I've been told by some I'm rather boring to talk to."

"Hardly. I don't think you are boring at all."

"...really?"

"Really."

They exchange smiles and when he leans forward to kiss her, she bends to meet him halfway.

Time has taught him her most adorable tendencies, gifting him all the more reasons to fawn over her wonderful body and personality. She would stop talking all of a sudden or trail off in the middle of a sentence to hold his gaze, maybe touch his shoulder or cheek, and then kiss him. Yuna does it so often Baralai has to point it out, and she claims to never notice that pattern. Her reactions always amuse him, ranging from surprise to playful disbelief, and he takes it upon himself to point out every and any little thing she does that he adores just to bring them out.

What entertains him now used to embarrass him before. Baralai couldn't deny his lady has an inner child, only tolerable in small doses, but now he no longer minds. He no longer minds that she hums whenever she feels happy, even if that's every hour of the day. The louder and longer she hums symbolizes the magnitude of her happiness. And the noises she'd make! For every action she performs prompts a unique sound, like a cute moan or an upset squeak. Before it didn't make sense to him, why she felt the need to emphasize each action with a sound, but now he cherishes Yuna's "sound effects."

"Baralai..." And when she calls his name, it lures him to the sea of erotic dreams. Yuna steals his attention, reeling him back to reality by seducing him to get lost in her exotic eyes. The feel of her warm mouth on his, nipping at the bottom lip, it teases at his self-control. Especially when she proceeds to sit on his lap without permission, pulling him deeper into her embrace.

Doesn't this woman have any idea how tantalizing she is, tempting him to forget why Baralai always held back from consummating their intimacy. Hair soft to the touch, falling so nicely in between his fingers and perfect to pull in the throes of passion. He can imagine the sheer primal and irresistible look on her face she'd make while he penetrates her from behind again and again and again. Her hips align at just the right angle to wrap her slender legs around. The thought of her tightening her thighs and intensifying the depth of his thrust excites him. So many of her little actions tease him to reciprocate her pleasure and yet he delights in it. Holding her skinny body in his arms, he fears hurting her, and Baralai has to remind himself that her flesh and bone survived the might of Sin and still managed to remain beautiful.

While Baralai plays out his sexual fantasies in his head, Yuna nuzzles his neck and nose, caressing his cheeks with kisses, unable to resist feeling him. She wants more and more of him, and she wants him beyond the frustrating limits of routine. Baralai leaves so early and returns late, if only to make it on time for dinner during the lighter busy days. Yuna knows they can give each other more, be able to experience more, a much deeper level of intimacy where they can become closer than they already are if they can take the first step to change things up a bit.

She hugs his neck, toying with the collar. "Baralai...?"

"...yes?"

She cups his face for another intense lip-lock, and he returns the fervor tenfold. Her hands drop to massage his shoulders on the way down to his chest, pulling his tunic down to stroke naked skin. He nibbles her ear and she teases his nipples, feeling their heartbeats race faster and faces flush hotter.

"Will you teach me how to tie the knot... without the cherry?"

And when they make love for the first time, they know where their emotions belong.


End file.
